Power-transmission mechanism



June 22 1926.. 1,590,150

F. F. DoRsEY Er AL POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM original Filed June 4. 192s Hmmm@ w'vvwvm gwmnvr. (1111.1.

4Patented `lune 22,1926# umriss)lv STAT f liArEia'r4 oF FAENUM E. noEsEY AND CHESTER w. 'GBUMEINE or nocHEsrEE, NEW Yonx, Ls-

FlcE.

SIGNOBS '.IIO NORTE EAST ELECTRIC COMPANY,VOF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A COR- Application niet :une 4,. issaseriarm, 643,231. renewed recentere; m5.

This invention relates to powerftransmission mechanism used to connect an internalcombustion engine .temporarily with a prinemover, suchl as -an e ectric motor, for the purpose of cranking or starting-the englFor the purpose in question-it is common to use 'a pinion movable, inthe direction of its axis, into and out of mesh with a' gearf wheel connected with the crank-shaft of the engine, and to shift 'this pinion' by' manually-operable means. In so shiftm' l the pinion it often happens that theteet fail to mesh,v by reason of direct engagement of the ends of the teeth, and in-such .case it is necessary to impart a partial rotation, to the pinion to bring its teeth into line with the tooth-spaces in the gear. f

The principal'object of the present -iuvem` tion is to provide a gear,`of the type just referred to, with simple and eiectivemeans for rotating the pinion for the purpose aforesaid. Another object of' the invention 1s to produce a mechanism ofesim leand compact construction, and particu arl. ,to

embody therein an overrunning clutc -to prevent the mechanism from transmittin rotation froml the gear to the motor. I The means by which these objects are attained` are set forth hereinafter, and the invention resides in these means as defined. in the succeeding claims; .l In the drawinvs, Fig. 1' 1s a partly diaf grammatic side-e evation of' an engine start ingoutt embodying the present mvefntion,v

with the power-transmission mechanism in longitudinal section.' Fig., 2 is aside-elevation of the powertransmission mechanism. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the mechanism on a plane passingthrough the clutch. Figs.

4 Aand 5 are end-'elevations ofthe power-4 transmission mechanism.

The invention is illustrated as embodied es power for cranking an engm e.` The armature-shaft 11 of the .motor carries a 'clutch-.member 16 in the usual manner. The movements of the pinion" 12 are controlled through a shifting-'sleeve .19 which embraces the outer clutch-member. ourhelical slots,I 20, which are engaged by integral pro'ections 21 on the outer clutch-` .,member. ,.T e left-hand end yof the sleeve is' partially closed in` and is provided with teeth 22 which fit looselybetween the teeth of the pinion.A A flange 23 on the inner end drawing from engagement withthe pinion.

of the pinion prevents the sleeve from with-` This sleeve has and it rests, at one end, against four integra lugs 25 bent inwardly on the Sleeve at the ends ofthe slots 20. The other end of the sprin pressesv aanst the end of the pinion, and t u's norma y retains the pinion in the position shown,in which it isl projected fully from the sleev I I I The outer end of the sleeve is closed by a plate 26, secured in place by tangs 27 on 4the sleeve. These tangspass through slots in the plate i and are secured by cotters. A sprin 28 interposed between the plate 26 and t i clutch, tends to hold the late and the sleeve in the' position shown, at' t e righthand limit of their movement and with the A Vpinion disenga ed from the gear'.

eration o `he. mechanism is accomphs ed through a lever-armv 29 ixedxto a rock-shaft 3Q, which ma be `turned in any `L suitable manner, when t e engine is to be started, in Ya directionv to press the arm `the left.

Thejmotor 10' is supplied with current `from abattery 31,- and the circuit isconvtrolled by "a switch'- 325 This switch is shown, dlagrammatically, imposition to be engaged and closed by the, arm-29 as the armY completes its operative movement.

1 .The mechanism operates'. as follows: when 4 againstthe plate 26 and force the sleeve to e the arm 29 swings to the left the-sleeve' is and thelprojecti'on v 21 `traverse the slots 20.

vmoved axially wih respect `to the clutch, Since the motor i the projections im art a slight rotative its axial movement.

simultaneously to the inion, the'axia'l movel` movement ,to thefs eeve simultaneous with 11.' is splined, and. los.

ment through the spring 24 and the rotative movement -through ythe teeth 22. If the 10.0 atthis' time stationary, 1

40 the motor stops.`

45 such 50 gagement. The

axially .into and out of mesh with theI teethof the inion chance to engage properl between t e teeth of the gear, rotation of t e pinion and the sleeve is thereby arrested.

During the completion of the. axial move- 6 ment of the sleeve the slots 20 cause the projections 21 to move, thus imparting'a sllght reverse rotation to Vthe motor-shaft.' The rotating -movement of the pinion is thus ielding in character, owing lto the fact that 10 '1t occurs 'with a. torque limited by the frictional `resistance to rotation-.of the'f'n'lotorf shaft. 'y

As the movement of the shifting-sleeve is completed the switch 32 is closed, and the vmotor starts. When the engine starts the rapid rotation imparted fromI it to the pinion is transmitted to the sleeve and the outerclutch-member, but the latter overruns l on the rollers of the clutch and no rotation .is imparted" to the motor.

rested, as it is imparted to the pinion yieldingly, 'through the spring 24.' r The movement of the sleeve continues, however, since the teeth 22 can slide along the pinion.V Acl cordi'ngly, the sleeve continues to rotate and to turn the pinion, so that presently the pinion-teeth are brought to meshing position. Thereupon the spring 24 ex ands and forces the pinion quickly into mes andthe operations are continued as before. described.

a5 a As soon vas, the engine starts the arm 29v may be swung back to normal position;

This permits the spring 28 to expand and draw the sleeve an the pinion back to idle position, while theswitc 32 is opened 4and We are awarethat mechanisms of in which rotation and axial movement are both imparted manually to the pinion, .but

pinion unless and until it is arrested by engagement with the gear, and thereafter to rotate the pinion in consequence of such enpres'ent construction is. novel in the respect that in it axialmovefment and rotation of the in'ion occur simultaneously unless and untl the axial movement is arrested, and that relative rotation AUli-of the pinion andthe motor-shaft occur.

the sleeve and acting, between the shaft and throughout the shifting operation.

The inventio'claimed is: 1. Power-transmission mechanism comprising: a gear; a driving pinion movable ar and manually-operable means for `simul taneously rotating said pinion and mov-f motor-driven shaft, a pinion sli l 'said shaft, into mesh with said gear; an theftypein question havebeen previously proposed,

revious mechanisms have .been arfrange to impart-only 'axlal movement to the ing it axially, said means beingvyieldable as to each' of vsuch motions so that either may continue alone when the other is arrested.

2. Power-transmission mechanism comprising: va gear; a driving pinion movable axially into mesh with the gear; yielding means for rotating the pinion; yielding means for moving the pinion axially; and manually-operable means for actuating both 'said yieldingmeans simultaneously.`

3. Power-transmission mechanism 4comprising, in combination with a gear and a motori-driven shaft, a pinion slidable, upon said shaft, into mesh with said gear; an overrunning clutch, for imparting rotation from said shaft to said pinion; means for imparting;4 yieldingly, said sliding movement to t e pinion; and mechanism, including said clutch, for producing positive relative rotation ofthe pinion and the shaft throughout the operation of said means.

4. Power-transmission mechanism comprising, in combination with a gear and a motor-driven shaft, a pinion slidable, upon said shaft, into mesh with ysaid gear; an overrunning clutch on the shaft; a shiftingmember having positive connection with the pinion for rotating the pinion and ielding .connection with the pinion for sli ing the .pinion on the shaft; helical connections between the shifting member and the clutch for' producing positive relative rotation of said member and the shaft during movement of the shifting` member; and means -for moving the shi ti ng-member in a direction to mesh the pinion with the gear.

5. Power-transmission mechanism comprising,=in combination with a gear and a overrunning clutch of which one member is Iifxed to the shaft; a shifting-sleeve coaxial' `6. .Power-transmission mechanism as deiined in claim 5, in which the last-mentioned means vcomprises a spring enclosed within the sleeve, to move the latter in a direction to cause disengagement o f the pinion and the gear..

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